Can This Marriage Be Saved

The Triangle 29
solid job; he goes to college and does a little paid work with that
neighborhood club, but Patricia partially supports him and wholly
supports their child. One look, and I knew Michael was a real wolf.
Bad news for me. Bad news for Jan.
Jan thoroughly enjoyed our so-called conference. I guess she felt
sophisticated and adult as she explained the purpose of the jolly
little get-together she had engineered. The general idea was that
the four of us would discuss the situation created by her and Mi-
chael and reach some intelligent, mutually satisfactory decisions.
Maybe Jan expected that Patricia and I would bow out gracefully
and come through with prompt offers of two divorces. Or maybe
she just wanted to keep the drama boiling. Anyway Patricia and I
didn't oblige Jan, despite at least an hour of double talk on her part.
One decision, however, was reached. Jan and Michael promised
they would honestly do some serious thinking and would stop see-
ing each other until both of them were graduated in June. That
meant a two-months' respite. I then promised Jan I wouldn't burden
her with my company so that she could have the freedom and
privacy she considered necessary to straighten out her mixed-up
thinking and feelings.
I made my promise gladly and intended to keep it. The very
next day Patricia telephoned me at my office. Among other things,
she told me that Michael's word was worthless. I went to Jan's new
apartment. To tell the truth, I considered it my apartment, too,
since she couldn't have got possession without my paying the rent.
I arrived just as Jan was serving Michael coffee and a plate of
delicatessen sandwiches, Jan hurriedly explained that Michael had
just popped in for a few minutes to bring back some borrowed
textbooks of hers. The story was as phony as a three-dollar bill.
Then and there, so far as I was concerned, my friendly separation
with Jan came to an end. Michael went—I ordered him off the
premises—and I don't intend to give Jan a minute of peace until
she breaks with Michael, and I have definite proof of it.
Even if I didn't think she and I could get together again, I would
refuse to let Michael make a hash of her life. I've conducted a